First Friends - Tri-Wizard
by bjshaw
Summary: Something has gone wrong in the friendship Harry and Hermione formed in First Friends. Someone lied. Harry and Hermione start finding out the truth about their past and start planning to survive the present.
1. Trial by Rumor

In our previous story, a young Harry had save Hermione from a potentially terrible fate.

Their story continues after the first three books.

Chapter 1 - Trial by Rumor

It was the night when the champions were to be chosen. An infallible magical artifact would select the best representative from each school and they would be their school champion. Harry Potter sat right next to Hermione, looking a bit irritated at his friend Ron still trying to wave at Victor Krum, but otherwise content at having nothing to do with this fame and fortune stuff. The three champions had already been selected and Harry was beginning to relax, nothing bizarre was going to happen this Halloween. He still felt a slight pang of dread of the unknown. Another piece of paper flew from the goblet at the back of the headmaster and only the reaction of the students saw him look back and catch the offending slip of paper.

"Harry Potter," Headmaster Dumbledore said fiercely scanning the room. The goblet of fire still burned in the background as everyone in the Great Hall also looked around. The person in question was just staring, trying to hide under the table a bit. Hermione said something like 'go,' but he had that sick feeling again. Someone was out to get him. He gave a deep sigh, it was going to be another interesting year for 'Harry the idiot who lived Potter,' he thought.

He glanced back to friends. He saw disgust and an expression of almost hatred from Ron. He glanced at Hermione's face where soft brown eyes sparkling with tears met green eyes going hard, each looking for something that wasn't there. She was looking for that spark of something extra in his eyes. Something that spoke of more life than she normally saw from him, something she just knew was missing. She knew that a piece of Harry Potter was dead or dying. He was looking back, expecting to see the disappointment in her eyes that he could hear in the voices of his fellow tablemates, the Gryffindor house. That righteous anger Gryffindor's were noted for when they saw something they believed to be a wrong. What he saw was compassion, concern, friendship with no judgments or rejections attached. She still believed in him. That was enough for him and he resolved to always be the man she was looking up to. Somewhere in the back of his mind there was a brief flare of magic that overrode a spell placed on him by one of the most powerful wizards in the world.

With renewed strength, he turned. His foot stepped harder into the stone floor than intended and the entire hall echoed as if with power. "Headmaster, I neither put my name in the goblet nor have done anything related to putting my name nor did I ask anyone else to put my name in the goblet or try to enter me in this tournament. I will give any proofs you require as evidence of this."

"Harry, we should discuss this inside."

Harry's voice was tightly controlled. On the inside the adrenaline enhanced his magic again for just a moment and a tiny part of his brain realized that something had been covered up. His mind had been tampered with and a few small confusion spells were burned out.

He scanned the room again, seeing hostility with only a few exceptions, none of which he really knew well. He noted these and then nodded to the entire room of hostiles, a remote expression fixed on his face.

"I am willing to take any truth potion capable of demonstrating my innocence. It is clear that my word and integrity mean nothing to any of the adults here. I have been accused of cheating in public and outsmarting your own enchantments, Headmaster." He looked at the disappointed faces from all at the head table. "I mean people have died in this thing, right?"

"Harry, my boy, we can talk about this in private."

"Ah, the guilty verdict regardless, and I would guess trial by rumor. Very well, professor, Harry's voice held more resignation than anger." A few Slytherin's took a deep breath and reevaluated their understanding of Harry Potter, not missing some of the points he was making. Clearly the Headmaster had his own agenda here.

After returning from the meeting where he was told he had to compete, Harry walked numbly around the halls until he found an empty classroom and just sat. He returned many hours later just before curfew. Hermione was still up, but no one else. She put her book down and took a few steps toward him. He felt that slight push he usually did when she approached, but he pushed back and managed to walk right up to her.

"Hermione, you alright?" her expression was priceless.

"What do you mean me? I am not the one who was illegally entered into a dangerous tournament meant for more experienced students. Judging by your expression, you have been told you had to compete."

"Yes," he said simply, but his hands were shaking with anger. He looked at her again pushing against some invisible barrier and reached out and sought how he really felt about his friend.

"Hermione, you have been my friend for years. I don't deserve a someone as nice as you are to me. I just want to say," he looked her straight in the eye, "friends for life." It hadn't come out as a question, but an offer.

She noticed the tension and seriousness, usually missing from Harry Potter, when she replied, "friends for life." She kissed his cheek and was surprised when he returned the gesture. But neither was prepared for the circle of flame surrounded them for a second that moved from green through yellow and orange hues before fading away.

"What was that?" Hermione gasped.

"No idea," he answered truthfully. He felt different, though. Something he had struggled with since the troll incident in first year seemed to be gone. "The push is gone too."

"What?"

"I always had to apply pressure to, well, be your friend. Now it is gone." Harry looked puzzled.

"You mean you didn't want to but did anyway?" Hermione's voice took on a sharper edge.

"No, just the opposite. I wanted to but there was always something trying to stop me, but I did anyway." He sounded just as stubborn as she knew him to be. "I actually thought that you were magically shielded against me somehow."

She laughed. "Maybe someone put a repelling charm on me just for you, sounds like something Ron would do… or maybe Ginny." They both knew that those students would not be able to do a spell that complex. The implications of someone manipulating students like that made her very unsettled.

"But it happened even before that, now that I think about it. I noticed it on the train first year. It was the reason I didn't ask you to sit next to me." He looked stunned at his own recollection for a minute, realizing that he had wanted to befriend her. Then he just shrugged.

"Well it isn't there anymore and I am tired. Thanks again for being here when I came back. It cheered me up a lot." He had one hand on her shoulder as he said it.

"Always," she answered. He walked to his room and she reflected on her answer. It had felt right, like the declaration of friendship. I mean they were good friends, but this was the first time they had actually made a spoken commitment out of it. She wondered whether they had just completed some sort of vow and that was what caused the ring of light.

Meanwhile Harry was heading for slumber.

_**Harry's dream**_

"Troll," Professor Quirrel shouted, managing to seem both excited and scared at the same time. "Troll in the dungeon. I thought you ought to know." He promptly collapsed from the stress.

Instantly there was screaming from the houses as the students panicked. Harry, still not used to the environment immediately moved toward the head table, ignoring the rest of his house as the headmaster stood.

"Silence," Dumbledore yelled as he tracked the troll with the castle wards. It was currently moving through the hallways away from the dungeons, but was not in the path of the students returning to their common rooms.

"Students will follow their prefects to their common rooms and the teachers will come with me to the dungeons."

"Professor," Harry managed to catch his eye. "Miss Granger is missing, Headmaster, I was told she is still in the second floor girls bathroom."

"I am aware of the location of anything that will cause harm to a student in the castle, Harry. You will go with your prefect and leave the girl's fate to me." The headmaster leaned over in a clearly threatening manner.

Wordlessly, Harry went back to his classmates.

"Ron, you need to…" he looked over at fear evident in Ron's face and changed his mind.

"Neville," the look the boy gave him was better than Ron's but it was still not supportive enough as he was dragged away by his classmates. Harry thought for a moment, following the crowd before he ducked around the corner and raced toward the stairs. He took the steps as fast as he could, not pausing even when he was out of breath.

He entered the bathroom as quietly as possible with his labored breathing, "Miss Granger?"

"Go away," her voiced sounded of tears.

"Hey, there is a dangerous situation here and…"

She peeked out from her stall. This was Harry Potter, she had already seen him enough to be sure he wasn't a liar. She knew she could trust him.

"Sorry," she started to hide a letter behind her, but he grabbed it instinctively and she froze.

_Dear mom and dad,_

_You have been the best of parents. It is with regret that I had to leave you. You know that I did not belong anywhere but with you. I was so excited when I left to see the wizarding world where I thought I could find a place for myself, one that I could possibly fit in. I have found nothing of the sort. _

_The girls here treat me like garbage, mocking and the usual harassment. When I decided to come here I knew that I would find someone to share with, be a friend with, so I just had to try. I now know there is no place for me in this world._

_Please collect me when you can._

"Miss Granger," he said politely to her, but his eyes were raging. "Why haven't you told anyone of the abuse by your housemates?" He glanced again at the confused tone of the letter and the clear cry of despair it showed as she was trying to get her parents to understand that this witch thing was a mistake. The girl was practically suicidal and was attempting to withdraw from school.

"I don't mean to sound chauvinistic, but I will protect you. It is the right thing to do." He glanced apprehensively at her, worried that she would be another in a long line of people who had rejected him as not worth their time.

"You can't protect me, Harry." He smiled at her use of his first name gently rolling off her tongue. "Besides, I am not sure how I could pay you back."

"First and foremost, I would like a friend." He held up a hand as she immediately started to say yes. "Don't accept if you don't think you can do it or are not sure, though. If you aren't sure then I will take something that only you possess. You are pretty Hermione." He noticed the blush and charged on. "The one thing a pretty woman can give me that I want only from you is one kiss freely given per year of protection." He smiled to himself and tried to still the butterflies in his stomach at his daring offer. He 'liked' her, but he knew anything serious would take a long time, but he would be patient.

Suddenly she jumped over grabbed his shoulders and kissed him quickly. "I will give both, unreservedly." He froze at the sudden contact. "Greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for a friend," she quoted.

"I guess that means we are permanent friends then, Hermione." The intimate tone of his voice made her blush. A ring of fire surrounded them for a few seconds, causing the water in the sink to hiss slightly.

"Yeesh, what is…" the rest of her commentary about the sudden stench was lost to them as the door burst open and a troll entered the lavatory.

"You will remove the girl," a voice came from behind the troll.

"Winduarium leviosa," Harry called out, leaving the troll without his club.

"Hermione, you go left and I will go right. I have an idea. If you put as much power as you can into that transformation spell, and turn this club into a something sharp like a giant needle." He didn't finish the sentence but she got the idea. He heard her call out in a calm clear voice the spell while he jumped on the sink and yelled at the confused troll.

"Hey stink brain."

Harry dodged right and the troll saw them both going different directions as well as him losing his club. The combination was difficult to handle. Harry heard the spell Hermione used and was astounded at how powerful it was as he watched a heavy club become a long steel rod. His glasses fell off and he barely managed to dodge a blow before he found them and put them back on.

The troll tried to grab the agile boy but missed. On the second attempt Harry jumped to the ground and grabbed the club that was now in the shape of a triangular 18 inch needle and was a half inch on a side. The troll had turned and demolished several stalls with his fists and was getting to the one Hermione was by when the boy jumped on a sink then launched himself onto its back. It turned and he was swung halfway around, it turned its head now facing him. With a furious cry he plunged the newly formed weapon deep into the troll's eye and it immediately collapsed under him. The needle back pushed deeply into his palm leaving a triangular puncture wound.

The faculty member whose voice they had barely heard earlier was aghast at the strength in this slip of a girl. If he didn't do something she would outstrip all the student except perhaps Harry.

Hermione stood, proud and defiant, the power nearly radiating from her wand as she raised it to defend Harry if needed.

"_Constrictus dynamum."_ Came that voice they heard earlier. Immediately the glow left Hermione's wand and she looked sickly and green.

"Why," was all she managed to say as her power was restricted and caged within.

"_Obliviate."_

Harry looked over at the door just to see the headmaster raise his wand again, this time pointing at him.

"_Obliviate."_

Harry woke up sweating. That wasn't how he remembered the troll incident at all. He certainly didn't remember the headmaster hiding Hermione's power and memories. He looked at his right palm and saw that there was a triangular scar where you would push something hard. It was about a half in on a side.

"That meddling…" he paused, reflecting on what he now considered a memory. His mind went back to the words of the headmaster. He said he would know if anything was a danger in the castle, and where it was. If the headmaster knew of any threat to students in the castle, it would show who had set him up in this tournament. If he didn't then he was far too overconfident for Harry to trust him. The inconsistencies were significant. They were either being completely set up or

_**End nightmare**_

Back to Hogwarts year four:

The next day Hermione was waiting when Harry came slowly down the stairs into the common room. His face was set in a tight grimace. He just nodded toward the door as he saw her and she followed him out toward the great hall.

Coming in, they were greeted with cold shoulders and mutterings of 'cheater,' everywhere. They sat somewhat apart from the group. Ron just glared at them both and the rest of the table was full of hostile whispers.

"I am just glad you are here," he said under his breath. "You would do best not to be seen with me; much too dangerous. Everyone is going to be after me and you would become a target too." Hermione actually

"If being your friend is dangerous then that is what I have decided. I don't turn my back on my friends Harry." She put her hand in his, "remember, friends for life." Her voice was steady and sure and he felt better for it.

"Me either. Friends for life," he responded, clutching her hand tighter. Suddenly there was a loud chime resounding through the great hall. Everyone winced as it carried for a several seconds before it faded.

Feeling their entire bodies echoing with the vibration that was the chime, Hermione and Harry quickly stood, ignoring the rest of their food and hurried from the hall, still holding tightly to each other's hands. While everyone else was trying to still the echoing in their heads, Fleur was staring at the two Gryffindors with a dreamy smile on her face and a tear in her eye. Within the minute the headmaster entered the hall asking questions about what happened. Other than Luna Lovegood, no other Hogwarts students had evidently noticed the couple's odd behavior, so there was no one to question, and each time the headmaster had tried to get information about Harry Potter from Luna he had gotten a headache for three days thereafter.

They came down to lunch together and the table was full so Alicia Spinnet stepped in beside Hermione who was next to Harry on the end. When she sat down she shoved the much smaller girl aside, knocking Harry off the end of the bench and onto the floor, his plate throwing the food down his front.

Harry carefully stood, letting the food fall to the floor. This wasn't the first time someone from Gryffindor had expressed their displeasure that he was a 'cheater' with something more than words. He glanced at Hermione and could feel the rage coming from his friend even as she stared down Alicia. Harry quietly put a hand on her shoulder and after a few tense seconds she relaxed just a bit.

"Just learning to eat, Potty?" Draco's voice carried easily from the Slytherin table. "Maybe you and that mudblood should eat off the floor like you do at home. Don't they keep it in a trough for you?"

"Potter, detention for making a pig of yourself in front of our guests," Professor Snape barked.

Harry didn't respond to the taunts, but he did glance to the head table where the headmaster had his hand on McGonagall's arm to prevent her from doing anything. Without a word he placed his plate and flatware on the table and walked out of the great hall. Hermione immediately followed in support.

At Thursday, dinner Harry and Hermione walked over to the Ravenclaw table and sat down without a word to anyone from Gryffindor. The Beautaton students looked warily at the newcomers. Fleur even went so far as to nod at Hermione. She nodded back very slightly at the stoic girl. She was surprised that Harry did not react significantly to her allure, treating her like any other student, which right now was with complete indifference. He still met her eyes briefly and she found herself looking away quickly. Soon the ridicule and hostility from Roger Davies and the rest of the table drove them away, but at least they managed most of their meal. Later Harry spent a delightful evening rebottling the most disgusting potion ingredients he had ever heard about. In classes both students just kept their heads down and did their work, ignoring the professors' point taking.

In their attempt to find a table where they could eat, the shunning was repeated at the Hufflepuff table and Friday evening, when Harry walked near the Slytherin table, Professor Snape made it quite clear to stay away and Harry just stared at the table for a second and turned to go. Finally he spoke, "Headmaster," Harry had stopped at the hall door so suddenly that Hermione bumped into him. Everyone watched, expecting Harry to ask for intervention. "Is my presence required for anything that isn't schoolwork related before my class on Monday?"

"No Harry," Professor Dumbledore wondered at the request but answered too quickly. Shortly thereafter, Harry and Hermione disappeared. No one from Hogwarts managed to find them, not even the twin Weasleys, although a diligent search was made by at least three different groups. No one figured out even where they were sleeping, let alone where they were during the day, and without students to ask, the Headmaster could find out nothing.

Deep inside the chamber of secrets, Harry made himself more comfortable. Hermione and he had managed to get some blankets and pillows from the house elves and also to make arrangements for them to deliver food. None of the elves ever went into the chamber, however, and all the material was passed through Myrtle's bathroom.

"Hermione," Harry asked as his friend used his shoulder for a pillow while searching some obscure tome for spells that could help him in the tournament.

"Yes, Harry?" she turned and her nose was almost touching his.

"Why are you so good to me?" he had wanted to ask her if she would like to go on a date, but he was so involved in the tournament that he didn't think it would be safe, especially with how the students had been acting lately.

"Because you are my best friend, Harry, and you do the exact same thing for me." The both continued reading until late before they fell asleep leaning into each other slightly. Again Harry slept fitfully.

_**Harry's dream**_

"Harry, you have been studying too much lately, you are going to turn out just like Hermione. With that heir of Slytherin thing going on, you don't need more bad gossip." Ron, the second year student, sounded slightly peeved.

"She is the best student in the school Ron. We should be trying to be more like her rather than trying to make her like us." Harry sounded more tired than upset. This was well worn ground with Ron.

"I don't want to become a bookworm that is too boring to have friends or too ugly…" Ron stopped at the sudden hiss from Harry. "Sorry." He didn't sound that sorry, but he knew Harry would make him regret it if he didn't stop and at least attempt to apologize. He was quiet for a long minute then decided to change tactics. He knew Harry would do anything for his friends and he was counting on him still believing that following him around made them friends. It was hard sometimes pretending to like Hermione, but maybe when she grew up he would have a girl to do things to, if she would only stop being such a nag.

"Harry, you never spend any time with me, your best friend, other than school work. Can we play exploding snap." Ron didn't particularly care for the game, but Harry could be talked into it and it wasn't the school work that he could just get from Hermione anyway.

Harry paused a long while, reviewing where he was in his classes. He had everything caught up, but wanted to revise part of his transfiguration essay again. He would still get a good grade though. Hermione had told him she had another idea and had run off to the library before dinner saying she would catch up with him there.

"Alright Ron, set it up." He was thinking that it was only half an hour before dinner and Ron would in no wise miss it.

They played for fifteen minutes before Harry suddenly felt like he was dipped in ice.

"Ron, I don't want to play anymore. I need to check on Hermione."

"Harry, all you do is study," Ron began, but Harry was already heading for the door. Exasperated, Ron followed, ignoring the anxious frown on Harry's face. After checking the library they checked the halls for a few minutes.

"Mister Potter, Mister Weasley," Professor McGonagal looked extra stern as she stopped them. Minerva was slightly shocked by the look of pure panic on Harry's face before she even managed to give them any news.

"You better come with me." She deliberately did not give them any more information but observed them as they walked briskly toward the hospital wing. Ron was unconcerned but Harry looked as if he was heading for his doom.

"This may come as a bit of a shock," the professor said before opening the door to the hospital wing. Without the slightest hesitation Harry walked past three curtained beds and to a third one before stepping inside and seeing Hermione there petrified. He immediately took her frozen hand.

"Blimey, Hermione, what did you get yourself into?" Ron sounded concerned.

In the back of his mind Harry heard the professor explaining to Ron that Hermione had a mirror in one hand and she was petrified while holding on to it.

'She is trying to see something before it sees her,' Harry deduced about the mirror holding. 'That may mean that it is something you don't dare look directly at and she was taking precautions, which means that the direct gaze could potentially be more deadly than with a mirror.'

His hyper thoughts were stopped when Ron made some mention of her not hearing them and he was going to dinner. Harry didn't respond aloud.

After another twenty minutes of Professor McGonagal and the nurse trying to console him, he thought he was alone. In Poppy's office the stern teacher was listening to the nurse's concern about the health of her charges before a low moan interrupted their discussion. The sheer agony conveyed by Harry's quiet cry immediately brought tears to both stern ladies. It was weeks before Professor McGonagal could look at Harry again without hearing the echo of his grief. Finally they heard a very low voice talking. Harry was pouring out his life to his frozen friend.

"Hermione, I know they say you can't hear me, but I need to talk to you and you are the only one who can understand me. No one else even comes close. First I want to say how much I love you. I think in every possible way, yes even the romantic ways, I love you. I also appreciate what you have done for me, how you have helped me when I was fighting with my desire to hide my gifts and not study. When I was angry because someone said something that brought back bad memories."

"Speaking of bad memories, I guess I should tell you that things at the Dursley's were far worse than you know. I sent the headmaster a note or two but he either doesn't care or doesn't believe me.

"Hey, you know how I don't like Halloween, right. Well it may have started when my parents were killed, but I remember every Halloween I ever had after that too. The second one I was rolled up in a small rug and they used me to wipe their feet on. They had a party that night too and I was supposed to be a monster under the stairs that took everyone's shoes. It was really funny to them, but at least I didn't get any broken bones that time, unlike my fourth helliversary. I coined that phrase by crossing the curse with Halloween and anniversary, of course.

My fourth year was pretty much when the really bad stuff started. I was five and still didn't even know my own name. That was the day I get my first big scar on my back. It was Vernon who cornered me and said something about how today was freak day. I didn't know how a day could be mine, still thinking maybe my name was freak, but he insisted it was the day I should be celebrated. I was taken upstairs to the bathroom and tied to the shower curtain rod. It held me, surprisingly, and then the beating started. It was surprising that I didn't scream, but I had already learned that you got hurt more if you complained about it. By the time he was done I had passed out and had multiple injuries. I still think my magic saved me that day, because I wasn't as hurt the next morning as I had been when thrown into my cupboard.

"So let's see. Let me tell you how I felt when I finally got to Hogwarts. Hagrid brought me to the station, but didn't really help me much; in fact if he hadn't even told me how to get onto the platform. Now here is the funny thing, the Weasley's were coming in and, having so many kids they were hard to miss, but for some reason they were almost advertising that they were a wizarding family. Well I ignored them except for just watching.

"I watched when you came in and I thought you were pretty, but normal. I don't particularly like girls who think they are too pretty. It isn't that you couldn't be by trying to act like a stuck up princess like they are, but you look good just as you. Well, I am glad you don't really get to hear me make a fool of myself. I have no idea how to talk to a girl I actually like, which is why when I talk to you I keep away from that subject.

"Sometimes I wished that I was in an arranged marriage. Then I would just give all my love to a nice girl like you and we wouldn't have to dance around each other and worry if there would be a commitment or if we were just going to have our hearts broken. It is even worse for the girls since all the guys want to sleep with them but not have any commitment. I think if I loved someone as much as I love you and we slept together… well it would kill me if we broke up. I guess I can't take the chance. You will probably never know.

"Well, back to life. I remember just about everything you told me. I just love bringing up one of the facts in Hogwarts as History incorrectly so you can jump in a show me you have practically memorized the book. It's not a bad book and I have only read it a couple of times, but it isn't my favorite.

"I wish I had met you earlier in life. I am sure we could have quickly become friends. I can't tell what keeps hounding me, but there is something different about life when you are around. It just seems so much more hopeful.

"I will come in later tonight, but I have to finish checking over my homework."

Harry went back to his dorm room and put the finishing touches on his homework.

First thing the next morning he was knocking on Professor McGonagal's office.

"Mister Potter," the stern witch looked carefully at him. He looked dreadful. "What can I do for you?"

"I would like to get access to some of Hermione's things and get permission to get an extra copy of all the assignments she misses so I can help her catch back up."

That night Harry was back, reading his lessons to her and doing is homework while talking through it as if she were awake. Later he shared more of his life, leaving out no details. He came back every evening.

Every few days he brought in some fresh flowers, replacing the ones in a small jar next to her hospital bed.

_**End dream**_


	2. Unexpected Results

Hermione Granger was buried in the Hogwarts library reading with a desperation she had not used before. She was searching for anything that could possibly be used to tame, control, dissuade, distract, charm, influence or defeat a dragon. She had heard Ron mention getting a letter from his brother Charlie, saying that he would be seeing him shortly. Since he worked with dragons, it was not a large leap to assume that the first task involved dealing with a dragon. Knowing Harry's luck, he would get the nastiest one.

Here was a spell that would grant some immunity to fire, not enough to protect you from a dragon, but it may make the difference between injured and permanently barbecued and with it there was a hardening potion that enhanced the body's density. It was important to use both at the same time as well as ensure that the mind was completely free from magical influence. The first part of the potion was the same as that for finding your animagus form as it connected your body to your intentions, and complications occurred when the mind/body combination did not match exactly. She wondered idly whether it would have an effect on memory charms etc. There were people who thought that every event that happened in a person's life was reflected in their body, retaining a physical memory of sorts. 'It is a good thing Harry spent so much time in the hospital wing, they would have found out had his memory been modified like that long ago,' she reasoned. She trusted the nurse to have done such detections at some point. Unfortunately she was also dead wrong.

"Here Harry, we need to make a test run to ensure it doesn't impair any other facilities." He looked at her balefully. She always thought there should be more behind those eyes, so again she looked deeply into his, searching for something but not seeing it.

"Sure Hermione, what have I got to lose. I am only going to battle a dragon using a broomstick and nothing else between me and fire hot enough to melt steel." He knocked back the potion as he had done a dozen times before. He had had a great deal of practice with medical potions.

Hermione had just finished casting the fire immunity spell when Harry collapsed on the ground thrashing wildly. His eyes rolled back in his head and he opened his mouth in a silent scream of agony. Then his back arched lifting his entire body off the ground and as suddenly as it started, it stopped. His eyes glazed over for a second then cleared, now staring at the ceiling of the empty classroom they had commandeered to test their potion. His eyes went through this a second time, then a third. After that she lost count, but each time she saw him relax just a little bit more. Finally it stopped and his gaze held her. It had something she didn't remember seeing before but somehow expected. It penetrated to her depths like he knew things it was impossible to even guess.

"Hermione," he reached out and touched her cheek, wiping away the tears of her worry in the most tender gesture she remembered receiving from anyone not her mother.

"I am fine, Hermione." He sat up and looked at her with a burning intensity. Without explanation he reached for her and unbuttoned the top two buttons of her shirt. As her modesty started to kick in, he stopped and ran one finger to the side to pull out the necklace she wore. She had never shown him nor had anyone outside the girl's bathroom this piece of private jewelry. She didn't remember getting it but it was a piece of petrified wood that had been notched to allow it to be tied. A dark blue string of some sort of embroidery thread was wrapped around it and it had a single light blue bead tied to the front. The rest made a crudely woven chain that she tied around her neck. It looked like a child's craft project.

"You got this years before you came to Hogwarts," he said with certainty, "when you were eight years old. It was given to you by the person who made it."

Her eyes grew wide. She never said anything to the two girls who had actually seen and sneered at the necklace she loved. She knew she was fond of it, but had never considered what it could be or where she had gotten it.

"Do you know the primary signs that someone has obliviated specific memories, Hermione?" He sounded just a bit like her in lecture mode.

"Gaps in sequential knowledge of time, overuse can cause scattered memory issues and even intelligence loss until the correct memories are either admitted absent in the subconscious or restored, which is difficult or impossible depending on the relative strengths of the wizards or witches involved in the casting." She said this and it was nearly verbatim from the book.

"You are forgetting the next paragraph," he smiled gently.

"Other signs include if you encounter items which have unaccounted for sentimentality especially ones that you have no significant memories of receiving." She paused for a long time, eyes wide, before they narrowed dangerously. "Someone has been messing with my mind!" she shrieked. For Hermione this was one of the worst things that could possibly happen to her. She valued her intellect, memory and logic above all other attributes and talents.

"But," he interrupted her, "I can get some or all of them back, I think."

"How?" She realized the answer almost as soon as she said it. He had just taken a potion that somehow interacted with his mind and removed his memory modifications.

"But how did you know about the necklace, did I tell you then forget?" His smile almost melted her for a second, but she steeled herself. She was not the girl for him, he deserved someone prettier, who liked the spotlight that would always be his life.

"I want someone who can stand by me more." Her eyes snapped to his but he was already started to get up as if he hadn't said a word.

"Can you make another batch before the tri-wizard task?"

"Well," she went into planning mode, "I already planned on the one, but I won't be able to make both at the same time. We will just have to make do with waiting until after this task to fix my mind." Her heart sank as she said it. Every moment that she waited made her feel incomplete.

"No, Hermione. Having you intact is very important. Let's find a way to do this. We also may want… um I just thought of something. I don't know for sure who did this so we have to act now to prevent being in a worse place, in case the fox is guarding the henhouse. I need to know how to protect…" He looked at her and they both tensed for a second.

"Library," they said in unison laughing. The tension of the previous conversation eased. In a little more than an hour they were back in the empty classroom performing a charm that would help them prevent detection from their oppressors.

"Now we need something to make excuses for our aberrant behavior and I think I know how. One thing I want to make absolutely certain of, Hermione." She looked up intently at his suddenly serious mood.

"What I am asking now, although it may help with our plan, comes from me and the heart with everything I know."

She looked uncertain, but nodded.

"Will you go to Hogsmead with me, on a date?" She looked confused, but answered automatically. The next Hogsmead trip was a week away.

"Of course, but you don't have to." He stopped her with an annoyed glance and for a change she kept her thoughts to herself.

The next week they both dressed in nicer than average clothing and went on their first date. He was every bit the gentleman and she spent more time blushing than any other time with a boy in her memory. This seemed to be her reaction to a simple hand placed on her shoulder and countless other little reassurances that he was there 'with her.'

'I don't remember having a better time,' she thought to herself. The word 'remember' in her mind had her seething again about her loss of memory, that someone had invaded her head.

Seeing her tense up suddenly, and having a fair idea what type of thoughts were spoiling her day, he rubbed her back gently and leaned in close.

"There are better thoughts to dwell on, milady," he said in a quiet but not intimate voice.

"I know, but…"

"Yes. Let us live today. We will fix yesterday on some tomorrow if we can." He smirked at the philosophical sound of his comment.

"When did you get so smart?"

"Ah, milady, that is not the correct question." He looked at her again, his eyes boring into her mind willing it to function at peak capacity.

"So… when did you get not smart?" she finally realized. It was whenever the spells were cast on him. For some reason she had always expected him to be as smart as she was, or close, always to be slightly disappointed.

"That is the question, now that I am back. In addition, how do I keep it from happening again?"

"Occlumency," she said instantly.

"Pardon," he asked? She had still read much more than he had.

"Strengthening of the mind through rigorous training and defense. If you could throw off Professor Moody's imperious, you would likely be strong enough to block most memory charms. Too bad we don't have Lockhart to work with on this." She still blushed at how she had been taken in by his charming personality and looks a few years ago.

"Well, here we are." She looked at the fireplace and realized he intended to floo to another location. She nodded skeptically.

"The burrow," he flashed and was gone. She followed immediately.

Just as she stepped out into the living room he patiently moved her aside then stepped back in the floo, "6 Privette Drive," she heard as he floo'ed away again.

They were in a small suburban house when he instantly reactivated the foo, "Diagon Alley," he nearly shouted and she stopped finally, her head still spinning from three consecutive jumps.

"Hermione, is there a convenient way to carry more gold and other stuff? I mean this is a magical world. I have seen tents and cars that were bigger on the inside. Are there pouches and such that do the same thing?"

Without hesitation she turned into a shop in the alley. Shortly they were back with a pouch that had an extension that only they could get into and two trunks on order for when they got back from banking.

He made his way to Gringotts and presented his key. They went down to his vault and he took some money before they carefully travelled back. He enjoyed it immensely, as he loved the wild motion, but even more so because Hermione didn't like it and she was clinging to him for dear life.

Their next stop was the Ministry of Magic. They came in through the visitor's entrance, when asked he said they were there for. In a moment they both wore the badges that said 'unscheduled mischief.'

"Excuse me, I need Madam Bones office?" The auror he had stopped to ask for directions saw the badges and immediately grabbed them and headed to the head auror, Madam Bones herself.

"Madam, you have visitors, they say they are a Miss Granger and Mister Potter but they have no appointment." The weary DMLE head looked up suddenly. She was quite close to her niece, Susan, who was in the same year as the two students in her waiting area. Therefore she had heard stories about these students since first year.

"Show them in and say nothing of their visit," she almost barked, then stood and watched as the two teens entered with somber expressions and badges that said they were up to mischief.

"Well, I have heard about you two. Is Ron around?" her smile was genuine.

"Not on this mission ma'am." His turn of phrase twisted something in her mind and made her pay even more attention than before. What young teen called a visit to the head of law enforcement office a mission.

This is a summarized version of the conversation that took place.

"Perhaps you can elaborate on what you mean by 'mission.'"

"Before we begin, may we be sure of complete privacy?" Shocked that they should ask for this in the heart of the ministry, she paused a second, not hearing Harry mutter 'one' under his breath. She cast several muffling and anti-spying charms. After she was finished he began.

"Well for starters, I would like to file a complaint of attempted murder." Amelia was shocked again and even Hermione looked at him hard for a moment.

"_Two,"_ was whispered under Harry's breath as he kept track of the shocks they were bringing to the DMLE Head.

"Against whom?"

"The Ministry in general and Minister Fudge in specific. Without trial he has sentenced someone to receive the dementor's kiss on sight. That would constitute attempted murder. That the victim is the principle lord of a major house could also affect those charges."

"Well, House Potter isn't a major house."

"I wasn't under the impression it was, Ms. Bones."

"Then you are referring to?" she tried not to let her irritation show, she didn't like word games.

"Even the ministry should recognize that House Black is a major lord house." He looked at her expression and muttered 'three' under his breath.

"What is it here that I need to know?"

"This ministry has twice knowingly arrested and imprisoned people without trial. In one case holding the person for years with out even charging them with a crime. The case I am referring to is Sirius Black. I will pay court costs and any other pertinent fees to reopen the case. I am asking this since I know that the person he is accused of killing, at least the one in the magical world, is still alive. Both of us have personally met Peter Pettygrew in the last year." Catching on quickly, Hermione was watching the Head of the DMLE and unobtrusively held up four fingers, at seeing her expression at the mention of Peter.

"_Four."_

Hoping this was some elaborate hoax, she listened intently. After a short time she opened her door and called the auror who was still waiting and stationed her outside the door.

"I am not to be interrupted unless the ministry is in flames and my own door is actually on fire. You are to tell no one what I am doing or who you may believe is in my office, understand!" she snapped at the annoyed looking auror. Without waiting for an answer she turned back to listen attentively again.

"Now, the second case I would like to have at least filed is the imprisonment of Hagrid the Groundskeeper and Care of Magical Creatures instructor at Hogwarts.

"The first question I would like to ask is what evidence was there, but the more important question is 'for when was the trial scheduled?' Never mind that the stated reason for the arrest was because of a similar occurrence fifty years ago. The symptoms were students being petrified. Naturally Hagrid was accused again because he had kept an acrumantula as a pet at the time. It occurs to me to ask how an acrumantula can cause petrification. Their venom either kills or puts in a coma, certainly not the same thing."

"_Five."_

"Wait," Miss Bones said, "how do you know it was an acrumantula?"

"Oh, are you certain you want to know. I mean I sincerely doubt anyone would believe me." Harry looked steadily at her.

"Well, how much of this would you be willing to testify about under veritaserum?"

"All of it, I requested it after being entered in this dangerous tournament, but was denied."

"_Six."_

"How are you entered in the tournament? I thought I heard it was going to be restricted to adult students of seventeen years or older."

"The headmaster actually drew an age-line around the goblet requiring that to be true, but someone managed to enter my name anyway."

Hermione interrupted, "so instead of a tri-wizard tournament, we have a quad-wizard tournament."

"You mean after it was clear that someone had corrupted the magic involved you are still required to compete?" Hermione muttered a number under her breath.

"_Seven."_

"Yes, and the repercussions are worse this year than when we had to take down a basilisk."

"_Eight."_

"Who took down a basilisk, Harry?" Hermione interrupted, "tell the truth."

Amelia finally thought that she would see some exaggeration from the boy, 'I mean all boys do it,' she thought to herself.

"I meant when I killed the basilisk, sorry for the error," Harry corrected, "but I did have some help, especially the phoenix."

"_Nine."_

"$(*3$," Amelia swore. "You are telling me you killed a basilisk, and that it was what caused the petrifications? How did no one die, maybe I don't remember the details of my magical creatures class."

"It was 'sheer dumb luck,' like professor McGonnagal said after the we knocked out the troll first year. Well actually Ron knocked it out with your excellent coaching Hermione, wait. That was the planted memory. The truth was killing it with the transfigured club into giant needle."

"Yes, and you just jumped on its back and distracted…. Harry, what did I say about understating everything? Is that one of my memories that was tampered with too?" Harry nodded. "Ron wasn't even there."

"_Ten."_

"So, back to the acrumantula," Amelia was almost in shock so she let the thought of eleven and twelve year old students taking on a troll fall by the wayside.

"Well," Harry continued after he had her attention again, "it was after Hagrid was arrested that Ron and I followed the fleeing spiders and talked to Aragog, the acromantula head spider. I am guessing it is a she. But Aragog said that it was what the spiders fear the most, but wouldn't say what it was. Well Aragog said that Hagrid had never opened the chamber of secrets the first time and by implications had not done so the second time. Since I met Aragog I researched what its venom would do and that is how I know that it won't petrify." Harry took a deep breath.

"_Eleven."_

"Well, the arresting of Hagrid was the next one. Now where are we on our list, Hermione?" She just stared at him for a moment.

"Oh, right. The main reason for us coming here. I want an exemption for harming or possibly killing a protected magical creature. I believe it is illegal to harm them but the tri-wizard tournament will likely have me in a spot on this one."

"What kind of magical creature? Wait, I am not going to like this am I?" Amelia looked at him narrowly. "You're not going to have to fight acrumantula, are you?"

"No Ma'am. I have already done that, fortunately after a few minutes we were rescued by an enchanted car. In any case, are you acquainted with Charlie Weasley? You are more likely to know Arthur, his father since he works here."

"Yes, I know him," She answered.

"I heard that Charlie would be visiting in a timeframe that coincidentally matches the first tri-wizard task."

"Dragons!" Amelia started.

"_Twelve."_

"Yes."

"They expect children to face dragons?" her voice rose and she looked over at Hermione as if for confirmation and seeing her nod.

"Technically, I am the only one who is a child."

"Yes, well at least you will have a good excuse for a nice long rest at home this summer," Amelia quipped.

"I'd rather try the dragons," Harry muttered under his breath. Hermione barely heard it but then saw how his posture had suddenly changed. He was back to the unsteady Harry of his first year. She instantly stood, drawing Amelia's gaze.

"_Thirteen."_

"Can we have a short break? It would be nice if we could find something to drink and I want a private word with Harry." Hermione's voice was brittle and Amelia flinched at the tone.

"Of course. I have to check with the auror outside and will bring back something. We have been at it for quite some time. There is a lavatory to the right down the hall." She glanced at the boy who had casually mentioned tackling a basilisk and troll. He looked deflated and broken. The girl stepped in front of him, blocking her gaze. The intent was obvious and Amelia stepped out to let her young visitors regain some of their comportment.

"Harry," her voice was just a whisper in his ear and she received no response. She finally sat down and wrapped her arms around him. After a minute he let out a small noise and slapped his knee and Hermione heard an echo throughout the building, even through the wards. He finally started to breath normally. After a bit the door opened and he jerked upright, his usual expression back on his face.

Amelia was bringing tea service back to her office when she was stopped by a senior auror.

"What is going on Amelia? I just registered a concussive shot off the scale from this floor."

"What do you mean? What was the damage?" she was concerned. She didn't think that either teen was that powerful.

"No damage, just a shockwave. It was through the entire foundation, though. It even rattled the basement. Did you piss off Dumbledore? Actually I don't know if he could have done this. What are you playing at?"

"Janis, cap it, my authority, until you hear from me. Talk to no one."

"Very well."

She went back to her office and they had a cup of tea and some biscuits without speaking. When they were done, she set the tray back outside her door, noting that Harry seemed to be back to his typical self.

"Well, that was nice, now I can get you the exemption for the creatures if you are facing them in the tournament. What else can I do for you two?" she kept her voice pleasant.

"Can you send that exemption to Susan and have her give it to Hermione? I would like to keep this out of sight as much as possible."

"_Fourteen."_

"I think we should save the serious discussions for later."

Amelia shook her head. At the end of hours, she just sat staring at these two children, the same age as her Susan, and wondered if there was anything normal about them. She thought to herself, 'it is going to be next to impossible to relax tonight.'

"Oh, two more things," she groaned. Each 'one more thing' they mentioned had landed a pile of work and worry on her and her office.

"Yes," she grimaced as she said it and noticed an adult type of reassuring smile from Hermione.

"How do I hear the prophecy that has my name on it?" Harry's voice had that edge to it again. He was definitely not pleased with someone.

"I will get back to you on that, next."

"What does it take to hear my own parent's will? I don't know what it said," another shocked look from Madam Bones. "One would think it was automatic."

"Fifteen," Hermione said under her breath, counting the number of times Amelia Bones had completely lost her composure over their life so far.

"Agreed," he muttered.

"You are the heir, there should be no issue with you hearing it anytime you see fit."

"I would like to do so, now." He rose as if he expected her to immediately drop everything and take him to the department of records right now. Then again, since he had waited all these years, it was probably the right thing to do.

It was a very tired and happy couple that came back from their first date. A few people noticed how close they were, but with all the other couples and the sea drama of that was the tri-wizard tournament, it didn't make a big splash.

The next evening, after a miserable potions class where Harry did and said nothing but do his work, he walked up to the front of the classroom.

"Professor Snape," Harry put as much respect and humility as he could into his voice. They had feuded for far too long. "May I have a word with you privately. This isn't about school work."

Professor Snape looked around the room, "what are you all standing around here for? Five points Mister Weasley for loitering and eavesdropping."

After the door closed, Harry swallowed and began. Severus Snape had never heard this tone from Potter before. Either he was in deep trouble or something drastic had changed, in which case he was probably in even worse trouble than he knew.

"First, Professor Snape," Harry stood as tall as he could, shoulders back, as if facing a firing squad, "I, Harry Potter, heir and Head of Family Potter do formally apologize and offer to make amends and restitution as possible to Professor Severus Snape for injury and grievous insult done to said party by any and all members of House Potter including myself but especially James Potter. I offer restitution with a thousand galleons to be given in recompense to the injured party or to a charity should the party refuse, as a token of good faith. So swear I."

To say that Severus Snape was a bit surprised would be like saying the stars are a bit far away.

"In addition, I would like to turn over the legacy of Lily Evans Potter, recommended in her will, to Severus Snape, whom she still considered a friend, if an estranged one, until her dying day." He held out a box that Snape automatically opened. There was a letter, sealed only to him, and next to it was a small yellow flower preserved by magic.

In barely a whisper he said, "get out."

Harry fled, casting silencing and locking charms on the door as he did, so no one else intruded on a sobbing Professor Snape. He wiped his own tears back, not knowing the extent of the relationship between Severus Snape and Lilly Evans, but obviously they had been quite close at one time. The note in the will to him had been bad enough, he couldn't fathom the content of the more personal note just for Professor Snape. Harry hadn't realized that his father could be such a prat at times.

With no explanation given, potions were cancelled the next day and Professor Snape was not seen. After this announcement at breakfast, Ron Weasley stood, having just listened to something Seamus said, and walked over to Harry. He had noticed that Hermione was very close to Harry, even if he hadn't seen that his male friend was clearly upset by something.

"So the tournament wasn't enough was it?" He nodded toward Hermione holding onto Harry's hand. "You had to use the 'pity me I am poor famous rich Harry Potter' to get her sympathy just so you could get into her…"

Harry interrupted by barking aloud, "Fred! George! Please explain to your brother that he is coming dangerously close to making a lifetime mistake, letting his mouth override other more important considerations. Should he insist on insulting Hermione in this fashion…" he didn't finish the statement, not wanting to make specific threats.

"Hermione," Harry said in a soothing tone while he looked at her. She watched with dull eyes as Ron's brothers literally dragged him out of the Great Hall, trailed by Ginny playing rear guard who simply said in a firm voice, "family matter," to the table. The look in her eye made it clear that she would hex anyone who interfered.

"Now that the cat is out of the bag, can I ask you one more thing, just to make sure I know where we stand?" He looked nervous, she thought.

"Say what you want to say, Harry." She smiled reassuringly.

"Would you be my official girlfriend? I wanted to wait until we get that final potion project done, but things are getting messy and I want to know where we stand with each other, if romance or friendship. So, what will it be, friend or girlfriend?" Their voices had drifted into quieter tones that couldn't be heard a few feet away.

"Yes Harry," she smile again and kissed him on the cheek. "We can at least give it a try." She laughed at the look of relief on his face.


	3. Here There Be Dragons

Harry and Hermione were seen by just a few between dinner and breakfast the next morning, but everyone was talking about it and the Great Hall instantly grew quieter as they walked in, arms linked and heads slightly together laughing quietly. They ignored everything around them mostly, although Harry did glance up and see Professor Snape back in his seat. He had no visible expression, an improvement from his usual sneer.

"Mister Potter," the professor suddenly spoke above the crowd, "you have detention right after breakfast where you will come to my office and clean up the disaster in my office you created the other day. I will give you and Miss Granger a note excusing you from your next class." Harry didn't even look up, but just nodded. Then a minute later, "Professor, Miss Granger?" the question was clear even it if wasn't exactly stated.

"Your mess is worse that your feeble intellect can fix given an entire year of detentions. You will need Miss Granger's resources to do your detention or you will never be completed. Is that clear or do you have other stupid questions?" His sneer wasn't visible but everyone in the hall could hear it.

"Yes Professor, very clear." Harry and Hermione listened in the hall to the muttered accusations of half of the students.

"What is that all about Harry?"

"Hermione, I would willingly tell you, but not everything I know about is my story to tell. It breaks into too much private information for someone else and I do not have permission to know myself, let alone tell someone else. Please don't be mad. I really want to say something, but just this once I am going to wait. I think you will get the basics in a few minutes." She nodded numbly, not sure how someone's privacy being in danger had caused her to have to help Harry in detention with Professor Snape.

They both entered Professor Snape's office and the door automatically closed behind them. Immediately a silence spell was cast on the door as well as several other privacy and detection charms.

"Mister Potter, you have two reading assignments." He pushed a parchment to Harry who took it quizzically.

"Miss Granger, you have some potions to file," he indicated two bottles on a desk, and some books to put away." She saw the books and looked curiously at the titles.

"You have an exam as well, Mister Potter. You will not need to do anything just do not move." Professor Snape cast several detection spells, diagnostic spells, then two high powered concealment spells that had the professor breathless for a minute. Harry could feel the masking of those changes in his magical power that came from the spells. He wouldn't be any less effective, but it would look like it to anyone trying to assess his abilities. Somehow Professor Snape not only knew about the sudden change in Harry's magical condition, but was actively trying to help him conceal it.

"Neither of you will be leaving this room until you are through the first chapter of the top book. Under no circumstances, I don't care if the Minister of Magic himself offers you his position for the information. Under absolutely no circumstances are you to discuss those books or this exercise with ANYONE. If you do I will be forced to turn your mind inside out, obliviate what is left, and then give you detention until you remember what you forgot. Understood?" His voice rose and he seemed his usual self.

"I will return in an hour and you will have read and comprehended that chapter. You will have filed those potions somewhere, Miss Granger. I haven't the time to put them with my own stores. And yes Mister Potter, you will make less mistakes in dealing with this critical mess of yours if you seek Miss Granger's advice, which requires her full knowledge of your reading material and the spectacle you put on earlier."

He stormed out of the room.

Harry spent a few minutes catching Hermione up on what had transpired between Professor Snape and him, then they both looked at his note. It was simply acceptance of Harry's apology to Professor Snape with some additional words that sounded suspiciously like an apology from the professor concerning his behavior, but not to expect it to change.

The books turned out to be two on occlumency and the other on legimency. They studied the first chapter diligently, noting that most of it covered how to tell if someone was attempting to break into your mind and some quick tricks to avoid it unless trapped. The hour went quickly and the Professor was back.

"You will both be doing detention with me tonight and every night until you clean up this mess," he pointed to the books. "After you have done so, we will need to address the final resolution to untidy behavior, Mister Potter."

He handed them both a note for their next class and detention slips for the rest of the week.

"Harry," she said as soon as they were in the hall. "These are two potions of exactly what we needed. How did he know? How did he manage to get them so fast? What do we do now?"

"Well, he really wants us good at this immediately. That means there is a threat we don't know about. If what you said about occlumency being able to prevent obliviates is true, or perhaps preventing someone from seeing into our minds, we have to get this right and it has to be done right now. Why else would he be acting like the world is ending? For us it might be ending if we don't find some more protection. This only tends to confirm one suspicion about who is messing with our minds and my life."

"But Harry," she whispered as they approached their Transfiguration classroom. "What are you going to do about your dragon?"

"I am going to have to stay after class and talk with Professor McGonagal. It is part of what I need to learn. You can stay too, if you want, but you don't have to."

After class, Harry went up to Professor McGonagal. "Professor, I need help in quickly transfiguring stone, specifically granite."

Their limited free time they spent working on the skills in the Mind Matters book, learning how to detect and prevent a Legimens attack.

That evening when they had detention with Professor Snape, he immediately cleared the room and transfigured a table into a couch.

"I assume you want Miss Granger to take this dangerous concoction and risk her mental state for a bit of emotional security." Hermione noted the emphasis on emotions and could not really argue that he was wrong. She just couldn't accept that she was memory modified if she could do anything about it.

"Yes, it is very important to her." Harry replied promptly.

"On your heads be it then. She should at least lie down," Snape added more quietly than expected.

Hermione lay down, drank the potion, and Harry cast the spell on her. Soon she was shaking, but it was not nearly as violent a reaction as Harry's. Several times, a flash of memory passed her eyes, occluding them for a moment before they were clear again. It was mercifully few times, but Harry counted at least five. Hermione's eyes lit up, then she looked surprised.

"I owe you my life," Hermione looked startled as she remembered their first meeting. She touched his hand in thanks and a sudden circle of red light flashed around them. There was no indication that Snape had seen the light.

Professor Snape walked over to Hermione and cast the same masking spells he had on Harry. Harry looked at him, realizing that for Snape to help him in this way the intrigue surrounding their memory modifications went further than expected.

"Get back to your studying. I will be testing you starting tomorrow, and if you haven't made enough progress, it will be painful and embarrassing."

Both Harry and Hermione worked valiantly on their Occlumency, taking turns walking through the exercises or both working at the same time. Ron was avoiding them so it didn't change their scheduled behavior.

Harry was called out of potions with a barb from Professor Snape about getting ready to sign autographs, which he now knew he just needed to ignore. Occlumency training was good for getting his mind to relax and just process logically. Both he and Hermione had made major strides.

"Eef eet eesn't the leetle boy," Fleur sneered when Harry entered. Viktor nodded and Cedric looked oddly at her.

The wand weighing was just as silly as it sounded to Harry the first time he heard about it. Something about making sure the champions' wands were all in good shape. He had never seen a wand that had problems that wasn't broken.

After a few minutes Rita Skeeter and her photographer entered and set up a photo. It took Harry about a minute to dislike and distrust her. He was much more focused than he had been just a month before when he had taken the potion that removed his memory blocks.

"How about we start with the youngest champion," Rita grabbed Harry's arm and headed for the nearest door, a broom cupboard.

Harry froze for a second, surprisingly it stopped Rita in her tracks.

"Fleur?" Harry's voice carried across the room quite well.

"Yes," her accent was much less thick when she was surprised, Harry noted.

"Beauxbatons students are noted for being quite well mannered and learned concerning proper etiquette and protocol in virtually every situation. Could I ask your advice on something?"

Stunned, she simply nodded.

"Is it proper for Ms. Skeeter to pull one of the champions into a broom cupboard, especially one of the opposite sex, with no one to monitor the situation? Couldn't that act alone reflect poorly on the 'leetle' champion's school, regardless of how reluctant a competitor he may be?" Harry's gentle smile was noted across the room and even Viktor scowled more at the treatment Harry was receiving. "In addition, does it bode well that the reporter doesn't want anyone else listening to the questions and also the answers provided?"

"It would be quite ill advised, should that champion have any regard for his school," Cedric spoke up, beating Fleur to the comment.

"Ah must agree vith Cedric," Fleur added.

Turning back to the reporter, "Ms. Skeeter, I have no objections speaking with you, but it would be nice if we kept this a bit more professional. Perhaps you would be willing to talk to me with one of my friends present, as well as my Head of House? If having someone else listening bothers you, let me know and we can work something out."

Flummoxed, Rita just put down her quill. She started when the Heads of the schools came in and her chance was gone.

"Well, let's get together later." She winked at him and he looked at her steadily.

"When should I let my professor know to come?" he smiled inwardly as she looked quite uncomfortable.

"Perhaps another arrangement can be made?" she walked off, not sure what to make of this shrewd young man.

After the door closed he smiled to himself, "I will send you a written statement."

"Vell done leetle Potter," her smile made the men's pulse quicken but Harry's thoughts were already on what he and Hermione would write for the story they really wanted published.

"I may not want to be a champion, but have absolutely no desire to be a disgrace to my school," Harry added slyly. "I will be getting a poor report in the Daily Prophet no doubt in any event. It would definitely sell more copies that way."

Harry tried to keep from saying much more during the wand weighing ceremony. He struggled to manage his anger at the way he was still being treated by the Headmaster and other champions, although for some reason Professor Moody was actively trying to help him.

Harry was in a quandary, he realized he needed some advice from an adult, but he didn't know any adults except Snape he could talk to.

It was the next day that Harry received a message from Sirius asking him to trust in his old defense instructor, Remus Lupin, and that he would be contacting him soon. He had written to him the day before to tell him everything about the tournament so far. Taking the letter from the strange bird, Harry grabbed Hermione and they headed for a quiet walk around the lake and to talk. He looked at the letter.

Harry,

Do not think that the person who put your name in the goblet was doing you any favors. They are trying to get something from you if not get you killed. Your defense instructor from last year, Remus Lupin, was a good friend of your parents and is reliable. Keep your friends close Harry.

Padfoot

Harry thought about his friends. He had Hermione as a friend, he used to have Ron. Ron's brothers were at least partially on his side, but didn't have much social contact with him. Then again they did give him the Marauder's Map. Ginny was as much looking to snag him as a boyfriend / trophy as his actual friend. Neville was loyal, however and Luna had made some comments that she might be on his side, but with Luna nothing was certain.

"Hermione," Harry started as they were in the library looking for clues about defeating dragons, "who do you think our friends are?"

She looked at him sharply, worried about where this conversation might lead. She had already alienated almost all of the girls in Gryffindor, and most of the rest of the girls in the school if she only knew.

"Well, there is Neville. He is as reliable as rain. Ron tries sometimes," she looked at Harry warily as she said this.

"Ron isn't exactly consistent with thinking good things about me," Harry said.

"Hermione, please be honest with me, not just in this but in everything. Tell me what you really think not what you believe I want to hear."

"All right, I think we have each other. Some progress is being made with Neville and you could probably get a dozen girls with you if you tried."

"That is about what I thought. Wait, what?"

"Harry, you should know that there are a lot of girls who would love to date the boy who lived."

"Perhaps, but how many want to date just Harry?"

"More than you might think," Hermione added quietly. She didn't really want to admit it to Harry, but he was a hot commodity in the girl population. He just didn't know it.

"Well, I would have said Dumbledore, but he was the one that did the obliviate in the inspector's office, so he is out. I would have said not Snape in a million years, but he is helping us. If McGonagall isn't under Dumbledore's thumb too much then we can trust her. Other than that we could maybe talk to Flitwick or Lupin, but because both of them owe Dumbledore for supporting them in the race issue…" he left the rest unsaid.

"They probably owe more to the headmaster than anyone. But then again so does Snape, if I figure right. So who are we down to for sure? Sirius, who can't be here."

"What about the ministry? Who do we have there for allies?" Harry responded.

"Just Madam Bones. I mean she did give us everything we could reasonably expect, and Susan is her niece and she seems nice. Not that it means all that much, but families do tend to do things in general the same way."

"Susan is one of the few who didn't look at me with loathing when my name was read from the Goblet."

"So, who else. Did you get a look at everyone who seemed to be your supporter?"

"Well, some. It was surprising that a few from the Slytherin table seemed to at least reserve judgment. I just don't know how to contact them quietly."

"Oh, one more thing Hermione, I need to catch up academically. I have to learn 3rd and this year's materials in Arithmancy and Runes."

"What!" her eyebrows rose. "Why are you suddenly..." she suddenly realized that this wasn't a change in his behavior as much as him going back to who he really was before all the memory charms. "Well, since I noted how well you took notes in second year. I think we can do this," Hermione added.

"I didn't think they were that good,

"Have you ever wondered whether the houses system is deliberately designed to prevent cooperation?" Harry asked.

The look on Hermione's face made him laugh.

"Hadn't thought of that one, right? It just makes sense. When you are trying to control a group of people, the best thing to do is to make sure you have the leaders in control. That means you have to have something on each one. Snape is obviously being blackmailed for something in his past. Flitwick is part goblin, so it is his race. McGonnagal has been with him so long she can't even see herself anymore. That leaves Sprout the only head of house we don't know anything about. Since loyalty is their thing, that may be an indicator that she just would never think of treachery." Harry finished his rundown of all the people in control.

"So? Inconclusive?"

"Certainly not enough to prove anything," was Hermione's response. "But it is a strong indicator. Now what about the students?"

"Well, we just did a rundown and I don't see anything to change our minds so far. But we need to keep our eyes open." Harry sounded somewhat subdued and Hermione gave him a quick one armed hug.

"So, how to take on a dragon." Harry said confidently. "What do you think of this plan?"

Harry spent the most part of an hour on his plan, having it modified and reworked several times by both of them. At the end of that time they were both exhausted, having put as much energy into the plan as they had.

Some of the girls were starting to hear rumors of the champions having to deal with or battle dragons, this caused an unusual reaction where several were starting to say 'hi' to Harry in the halls and such whenever they saw him. They never acknowledged Hermione.

The next morning the Daily Prophet printed an article about Harry and Hermione.

"Harry Potter has always tried to get us to notice him, as if his fame wasn't already too much. He flaunts his 'special' place with the Headmaster, who obviously favors him. He is called for special 'talks' with Professor Dumbledore regularly, although I am not sure what they could be talking about." This quote is from one handsome boy in the same year as the famous Potter.

Another quote comes from a girl concerning Miss Granger. "She always thinks she knows more than anybody. I mean she was trying to correct the teachers in her first year. She has been getting very good marks, but I noticed that she gets them mostly from male teachers, and quite often she stays after class for 'questions about the curriculum.'

Naturally Rita Skeeter quoted the most horrible things possible about them.

In the great hall, after reading the article, several crude comments about both of them were heard from the Slytherin table, but they made no reaction whatsoever.

One of the consequences of the Occlumency training they were doing was that they started to need less sleep, which left more time for studying. Harry also began reading up on the material for Runes and Arithmancy. Soon they were given a detention/permission slip from Professor Snape that allowed them to be coming and going much later than normal. They only had to use it a few times.

Eating in the Great Hall was better some days, but today it wasn't. No less than three girls came up to Harry to try to talk to him but really to flirt with him.

That evening they read next to each other on the couch, leaning together the entire time. He looked at her, noticing how her face looked in profile and the way her lips moved as she tried to understand a particularly difficult section.

"Hey," he said, trying to get her to look up.

She turned to him, an impish smile on her face, thinking she knew what he wanted. He leaned in and quickly gave her a peck on the lips.

"I'm not in trouble if I like a kiss from my girlfriend, am I?" He looked at her intently as she opened her eyes with a dreamy smile.

"That's fine," she replied softly.

He kissed her again softly at first and she returned it with interest and a bit more pressure. After a short time he leaned back, smiling.

"You're beautiful and I am very lucky to have you with me," he smiled at her deeply affected.

"I don't think I am going to be able to concentrate on reading anymore tonight." She smiled at him again, then kissed him quickly and stood up.

He pushed himself to his feet and held on to her for a minute before reluctantly letting go and watching her face and her messy hair until she was out of sight in her dorm.

"Hermione, let me make sure I understand this transfiguration issue. You say that the larger the object, the lower the ability to add things like strength and such, right?"

"Yes, it is actually a function of the magic per mass ratio and therefore the smaller the mass times the absolute value of the difference between the two substances equals the power squared."

"So let us say that we made something small that would do what we needed." Harry looked at her with a smirk and in a flash they both headed to the library and wrote out a list of small items that were strong that he could use.

Harry looked at the dragon in front of him for just an instant before he dove behind the largest rock within easy reach. The flame breath of the Hungarian Horntail nearly baked him even in his shelter. He leaped up for a second and yelled 'Accio Harry's Firebolt." From somewhere at the edge of the Hogwarts castle a broom jerked away from its position sitting on a ledge and flew almost a mile toward the sound of roaring while the compact form of Harry Potter waited, sweating.

After a third jet of flame rushed past, Harry stood for just a second and cast a transfiguration spell with a complicated motion that not even the teachers recognized. From somewhere in the stands he heard the shriek of Hermione who was busy digging her nails into her face without even realizing it.

Harry conjured a second time and you could barely see the thin ropes that came out of his wand hurling just to the golden egg. Before the dragon could breathe again, Harry cast another transfiguration charm and the rope apparently disappeared and he ducked again.

Soon the firebolt made its way to him and he jumped on it scarcely missing another jet of flame, his wand still extended. After he rose just a few feet the golden egg suddenly flew in his wake, following him like a duckling. He jerked his hand again and the egg arced toward the waiting champion's tent and rolled to a stop leaning against the side.

Hands in the air he thought he could hear Hermione's cry of 'yes' even over the roar of the crowd. Unfortunately that meant that no one heard the snap of the weakened chain. Harry found Hermione in the crowd only to see her suddenly pointing behind him. By pure instinct he jerked hard left and the dragon sped past. He was over the crowd now and he turned back and sped down toward the ground, the beast in close pursuit. It was only a few seconds later before he realized that this flier would not fall for the famous Wronski Feint and he adopted another plan to simply lead the animal on a merry chase. It was at this time that he heard another change in the crowd's voice and saw that the beast was heading back to the arena. From where he was it looked like she would ram right into the audience near the Gryffindor section.

Changing course again he dove straight at the beast toward the left wing. He turned his broom and freefell the last few meters to land knees first, crashing into the center joint hard and getting its attention. His body smashed forward and he hit his face on his knees. Ignoring his bloody nose he remounted his broom and flew above it as it landed to check its damaged pinion. Harry buzzed it and it ignored him except for sending an occasional flame. Finally Harry paused above it as she eyed the noisy crowd. The compulsion to protect the false egg was gone now, but she still felt like something was violated. The dragon suddenly took off charging the crowd again. There was a collective gasp and a few screams as he released his broom and dropped onto the creature's neck, casting another quick conjuration almost as he hit his new seat. Harry was pulling hard on an unseen object with both hands and the closest dragon scales were bunching up as he was seemingly trying to pull the neck scales off. After three beats of her wings she suddenly gave a horrible screech; blood was now pouring out of a cut that appeared on the long neck. Losing altitude she screamed and frantically snapped her wings to her back trying to dislodge the terrible thing on her back since turning her neck increased the dangerous pain on her throat. The change in her wings brought them both crashing into the ground just a few steps from the base of the stands before she rolled over on top of the lad.

A small river of dragon blood flowed from the neck of the thrashing beast smoking as it came in contact with the ground; then it was finally still. From beneath the wreckage crawled the comparatively tiny form of a fourth year boy. He stood on unsteady feet with his left arm hanging loosely at his side. His wand was in his hand and people gasped as his entire back was smoking and covered in dragon's blood. A few people with exceptional eye sight saw the look on his face and became extremely uncomfortable as he looked up at the crowd until he spotted something; then suddenly he jerked his robe off. His back still had some spots smoking, but he didn't seem to notice as he sat on a rock just a bit from the now twitching body.

Three dragon handlers ran from the side of the enclosure and soon the boy was helped to the medical tent. It was almost silent for a full minute as everyone not doing medical duty realized what they had just seen. The boy who was too young to enter the tournament had killed his dragon.

Harry Potter woke up with a start and there was someone in the room. He instantly cringed before he recognized the smell of the hospital wing and not Dursley's. This allowed him to relax. He could only see out of one eye and he was covered in bandages.

"Hey," Hermione sat there looking at him, trying not to show too much worry, "I won't ask how you are feeling, but I will say get better." She left off what she wanted to say about never scaring her like that again.

Harry looked directly into her eyes and said quietly, "I'm fine. I am sorry. I had to go with one of the backup plans, you were in danger."

"What do you mean Harry, this wasn't one of the plans we discussed," her voice was surprisingly quiet.

"I had just thought of it after something I heard about in a science fiction book," Harry tried to hang on as the adrenaline was leaving his body again.

"What did you use?" Hermione asked in a whisper.

"I just transfigured…" his voice took on a dead quality and his body tensed slightly. She noticed that his eyes had a slightly glazed quality as she looked very carefully and he stopped responding.

Madam Pomfrey rushed in a moment later having been notified by some alarms. She quickly fed Harry a potion that smelled faintly of oranges. Hermione recognized the smell and wondered about it. Slowly Harry relaxed somewhat, then fell asleep while she watched.

It was the second day that several others started to gather around the hospital door, but were rebuffed. The following morning a note was left on the nurse's desk listing those who would be allowed a short visit. It was written in a neat feminine hand. Every day Hermione came and brought her books and studied next to Harry's bed instead of the library, often reading the lessons out loud. Madam Pomfrey didn't bother chasing her out.

Seemingly without communication, Hermione took over allowing access to those who wanted to wish Harry well. There were several surprises there as Neville Longbottom, Daphne Greengrass, Susan Bones and Luna Lovegood were admitted when none of the Weasleys were. Interestingly enough, Professor Flitwick was also included.

Naturally the first visitor was Dumbledore, swirling through the hospital with his mish-mash robes.

"Harry my boy," he walked up standing extra close to the bed. "You should be more careful."

"Yes, headmaster." Harry scowled, noticeably bristling at the confrontation like attitude of Dumbledore. "I supposed being forced to enter into a tournament that is dangerous to students three years my senior isn't being careful. I will try to avoid that next time." Harry's voice raised a few notes.

"True," The professor's eyes twinkled and Harry could feel the pressure on him to look back with admiration and loyalty. "perhaps you shouldn't have killed the dragon. It will look very bad and wasn't necessary." The headmaster nearly shouted with glee at the slumped shoulders and rueful expression Harry exhibited.

"I don't know what I could have done," Harry moaned.

"How is Mister Ron Weasley?" He knew this would get another negative reaction which helped keep Harry off guard. Harry refused to answer any other questions, however and the headmaster left quite unsatisfied.

Harry relaxed after he had gone; realizing his trust for Albus Dumbledore was completely gone. He thought long on exactly why he had originally trusted him so much. He listened to Hermione reading his lessons to him since he was still having trouble focusing with his good eye. She was quite nice to look at, he decided, and lay back contently. If it was going to be a long hospital stay, at least he was going to have good company.


	4. Subjugation and Control

It was almost two weeks before he could get out of the hospital. The skin had grown back well over his face and his eye was even better than before, but his back took the longest. Finally he was let out.

Hermione carefully kept her hand behind Harry's back as they walked, unconsciously protecting his soreness. She had accidently touched it earlier and was met with a Harry that suddenly was devoid of all emotion and expression, completely locked down for a minute. It made her want to ask the healer about something.

"Harry, I need to talk to someone, do you need me here at the moment?" he smiled at her as she tried not to tell him that she was going to check up on him with Madam Pomfrey.

"Sure Hermione, I am fine." Harry and Hermione continued into the Great Hall and were met by a roar of sound as they were spotted. Yells of champion and dragon slayer were thrown about like confetti. Harry blushed, then sat down ignoring any and all comments. Hermione left early and Harry just nodded at her as she made her exit.

Hermione entered the hospital wing with more fear about this conversation than she had about any other medical discussion in her life, including the embarrassing ones.

"Madam Pomfrey, do you have a few minutes for a private conversation?"

"Of course Miss Granger," she replied kindly.

"Harry was hurt pretty badly and I noticed that you didn't use the normal potions for pain I would have expected, did I miss something?"

"Ah, yes. Well Harry does not respond normally to pain potions so sometimes he just has to do without. I have made a nutrition draft that sometimes minimizes the pain for him, but I do not understand why this helps. I would guess it is because he has been through so much pain already." Poppy looked at her most frequent visitor's friend and saw that she was gathering up the courage to ask her real question.

"Why didn't his back heal normally?" Hermione had not been allowed to see the damage but even without visually looking she knew something wasn't right.

"He said it was a legacy from his childhood Miss Granger. I have been asked not to pursue it further." Hermione felt a tingle of magic in the air as the healer said that. She nodded as if understanding.

"Now run along Miss Granger and remember that this is confidential information, without the permission of the patient, nothing can be shared with others."

"But Madam Pomfrey, why did you tell me then?"

"I have kept that oath Miss Granger," she smiled as Hermione worked it out.

"Oh, he told you it was… Harry already gave permission?" her thoughtful expression neared a frown. How could he have given permission for a question she hadn't asked yet? If he had already done so then he knew I was going to ask. The fact that he seemed slightly amused when she said she had to talk to someone now made sense.

Meanwhile in the Ministry of Magic, Amelia Bones was having a family chat with Susan. After much coaching, she managed to get a pensieve memory of Harry Potter's first Tri-Wizard task.

"Auntie, I just don't get it. I mean at first I thought maybe he was being sneaky, but when he made that speech about assuming the guilty verdict regardless, as if he expected it, I knew better. Then the entire school except a few turned on him, thinking him an embarrassing cheater. Even his best friend, or ex-best friend anyway, Ron. That Granger was the only one who stood up for him, and she doesn't have a political bone in her body."

"Well, it appears that they are in a bit more of a bind than I thought. Susan, you are allowed to give them full and complete support, without question, if you think they need it. Don't surprise either of them, that could be dangerous." The carefully quiet Susan's eyes took on a harder edge and for a few moments she looked remarkably like her aunt, the highest ranked witch Auror in the world.

Susan walked her through the memory of Harry's fight, pointing out that the dragon was heading straight for the Gryffindor section of the stands before somehow having its throat cut by Harry while riding it. They looked carefully at Harry's expression after climbing out from under the beast. He instantly began searching for someone in the audience, then his expression relaxed.

"Who is he looking for?"

"Oh. Auntie, Hermione Granger probably. They are inseparable. Harry even changed his class schedule this year and is taking harder courses so he can sit with her in class. It must be hard since he had to have tested out of all of last year's tests in two classes to do so."

"So they are that close?"

"She told off the entire school saying he was hers unless he said otherwise a few weeks ago. Smartest girl I have met, although neither one has a lot of skill with people."

"How does he do in school?"

"This year, it looks like he is always second. I mean the only place where he is lower is in Snape's class, but even then I think he is near the top. He just started Arithmancy and Runes and is easily holding his own, although I think that is because of Hermione. Well, then there is defense. He is loads better than anyone else in class in that subject, he is probably better than half the seventh years, according to one professor I heard." Susan's voice took and a slightly wistful quality and Amelia chuckled.

"So you like him."

"Well, I mean it would be better if he weren't so small, but he is anything but weak. You saw how he was flying around that dragon. He doesn't use a charm on his broom to handle the hard turns and sudden accelerations and stops that the profession players use. I don't know how he can even stay on the way he flies."

"Nicely diverted, Susan." The girl blushed slightly at the compliment and the topic of Harry Potter.

"I wonder how many people see Harry, instead of his reputation." Susan added with a grimace.

"Well, if he and Miss Granger don't work out, that would be a good thing to get to know more about." Amelia smiled at the expression on Susan's face.

She enjoyed these talks with her niece, but also enjoyed teasing her. They continued talking for some time as Amelia explained in better detail just what kinds of support she was authorizing for Susan to give.

At the same time another student was finishing a letter to Gringotts.

"_Dear gold master,_

_It has come to my attention, or at least suspicion, that (HJP) certain highly ranked individuals in my school are likely not being given the harry facts of their station. I even without the legal implications, I would be as unable directly interfere with a great house's inter affairs and I would be able to make Pottery from water. The real issue at the base of his problems, and I won't even mention his gender, is that no one seems to be completely on his side. One would think that the last member of a great house, with no living magical relatives would have been apprised of his or her situation and allowed the privileges his or her rank entitles him to. _

_One other concern is the excessive amount of control the headmaster seems to exert over certain students. Why just the other day a boy (I'll call him James) was entered into a dangerous tournament against his will with absolutely no legal representation. _

_I have enclosed the card from a legal representative that may want to contact the young person, if I were able to tell you who to contact._

_Unfortunately, I am unable to interfere. An open confrontation would be most ill advised. I positively hate the attention, but have been pleased with the discretion of Professor Flitwick and his relation to the smartest student in the school, who is completely loyal. She is involved in probably every secret my friend has and would move the world to help him._

_Please reply with my account status and a brief audit of anything like wills or large account changes in the few years since Halloween 1981._

_May your gold only be exceeded by your honor." _The letter was unsigned.

"Master Silverfang," the goblin mail teller raced through the bank with a letter from a student in his hand.

Bursting into the office of the most senior bank official on the surface waiving a parchment obviously written by a wizard was considered a good way to end up cleaning out the sanitation tunnels for the rest of your life. "Ironfoot, what is this madness?"

"Master Silverfang, this is an important letter about financial misdeeds done to one of our dearest clients, sir." The excitement suddenly drained out of the young teller's face when he realized he had just broken several laws and even more taboos by charging into a ranking goblin's office. Silverfang read the letter, easily reading the less than subtle message. If anyone knew subtlety, it was the goblins.

"Teller Ironfoot, you are dismissed. Your punishment will be decided later." Silverfang hurried to pass this message on.

Great Hall was erupting when Harry finally walked in. Two Hufflepuffs were standing toe to toe with Draco, Crab and Goyle. Even though they were dwarfed in size, Hannah and Gracie were not backing down.

"He is just a glory hound, looking for fame because his ran out," Draco was almost yelling.

"He didn't put his name in. He didn't want to compete. Everyone who thought he did should be ashamed." Hannah was beginning to work up a full charge when Gracie put her hand on her arm.

"Hannah, you may end up with detention." Both girls looked at each other, then walked back to their table leaving Malfoy to argue with the crowd in the middle of the room.

"Headmaster," somehow Harry's voice penetrated through the noisy room. Albus Dumbledore looked up at the tone, not liking this independent strength he thought he heard. The hall grew quieter. "Professor Dumbledore, are you going to settle this?" He received only twinkling silence.

"I see. In that case…" He turned to Draco Malfoy. "You have spent a lot of time putting me and just about everyone here down because you think you are better than everyone else. I would ask you, what is your reasoning? Does money make you better or name or blood? Your family got much of your prestige from the Black family by marriage. To those who were born into the Black family heritage you would be of lesser rank. I wouldn't brag about the money either, Mister Malfoy, unless you want to explain to the room exactly where this money was made."

At some point during this Hermione had come up and hooked her arm through his. He leaned over and whispered something to her as she pulled him toward the Gryffindor table.

"Let's find a less stuffy place shall we?"

"Let's, I am not that hungry anyway," Hermione replied.

The hall was still buzzing as they made their way back to the doors when Madam Pomfrey entered.

"Mister Potter, you need to eat to regain your strength," she immediately said. Her clear voice carried across the hall.

Hermione looked at Harry and he nodded slightly.

"Madam Pomfrey is the entire health of a patient treated in your excellent care?" Hermione was the one to speak and she was just getting started.

"Yes Miss Granger I care for all of my children, but both of you need to get more to eat. You are too thin." The maternal instincts in the healer were evident in her tone of voice.

"Then if the mental and emotional environment of a patient was clearly poor it may be a good trade to have less physical needs met to gain an acceptable environ for these things, correct?" Poppy had not been taken in by the clear line of reasoning but was forced to agree.

"I believe that Harry and I will be not be eating in the Great Hall for this meal. The environment has been poisonous for the last month. It is, after all, a health hazard." After this speech they both left.

The Ravenclaw table instantly erupted in noisy conversation.

"What was that about? Do they mean to imply that their social treatment has been worse to their health than skipping meals?"

"Starvation for human kindness kills more easily than starvation of the body," Luna Lovegood added in a lilting voice. "Why else would it be called love-sick?"

This started another series of discussions.

At the head table, Madam Pomfrey was listening to Professor Sprout fill her in on the conversations that had just occurred in the hall. Her subsequent glare at the headmaster was sizzling.

Outside, Hermione was attempting to calm Harry down.

"You know their opinions don't count. Most of them know nothing about the situation and are making wild guesses and are just going along with the others." She spoke in soothing tones. She didn't appear to be making much progress, so she tried a different tact.

"Did you hear about the Yule Ball?"

"What about it? Did you want to go? I wasn't planning to have any more public appearances." Harry's voice was carefully neutral since he really did not want to go.

"No, that is fine. You are right we don't want the extra publicity." She was disappointed, but didn't press the topic. Harry was dealing with enough right now.

"Harry, why did you give Madam Pomfrey permission to tell me about your medical assessments?"

"Because I trust you, Hermione. You are just about the only person who is always looking out for me and on my side." Hermione looked at him carefully. He had his mask partially back on. She started to say something but instead just watched his expression.

That night they had training with Professor Snape.

He first worked with Hermione for a quarter of an hour before she was exhausted. Then he turned to Harry.

"Mister Potter, let's see how far you have fallen with your recent injury." The professor cast the legimens spell and began to test his defenses. It was twenty minutes later when Harry's shield suddenly collapsed and Snape was in his mind.

_**Begin Memory**_

"Get up you lazy freak and make breakfast," Petunia screamed. He was dragged out of his cupboard with a broken arm and forced to cook bacon, eggs and toast. He was struck with the hot frying pan when the toast was cold and thrown back into the cupboard with nothing except the food he had managed to sneak as he cooked. He was six.

The scene shifted again and now a nine year old Harry was strapped to the coffee table. There was plastic sheeting under it to catch the blood from the whipping.

"Happy Birthday boy," his uncle hissed into his ear. It was another hour before he passed out. Harry spent later that day trying to set a broken leg by himself. He was successful.

_**End Memory**_

Professor Snape was suddenly violently expelled from Harry's mind as Harry's shields came up over twice as strong and his magic exploded causing the entire castle to hum.

Looking into Harry's eyes for a second as he began to process what he had just learned Snape was in for a shock. He knew that Harry had seen and even experienced what memory was visited, but Harry's eyes showed nothing. He just looked contemplatively back.

"I would guess that we are done with detention for the night, Professor Snape." Harry said in a near monotone.

"Yes, that is all. You two are difficult enough. Get out." Severus was desperate to get them out of his office before he had another emotional outburst.

"Come on Hermione, we can finish up on our own today." Harry took her hand and led her from the dungeons. When they got there Neville was waiting for them. He immediately walked up to Hermione and handed her a note, putting a finger to his lips.

"I need to meet with you to help, but Harry can't come. Do not speak. The walls and paintings have ears."

She looked at him, noticing that he stood almost at attention with a resolute look on his face.

She looked at Harry, noticing him measure Neville with his eyes, before he nodded. They left and he paced silently until they returned almost an hour later. As usual, no one in the common room talked to Harry as he paced near the corner.

Hermione tried to look like the conversation hadn't bothered her but Harry knew she was very unhappy. "Harry, do you remember the visitation list after you were recovering last time?"

"Sure. What is this about?"

"Trust no one not on that list. I mean no one, and you may want to take Luna off as well because she may be being influenced." Hermione's voice was so tense she was practically spitting.

Harry looked at her and she saw the compassion for her in his expression. "I learn something new about you every day, Hermione. We are becoming more alike too; I mean that sounded like Parseltongue," he finished with a smirk.

Wide eyed she stared for a second and then chuckled in a soft trickling sound. "I don't think I like turning into you, Mr. Potter."

"Well, think of the tactical advantages in a duel. Everyone would think you were as dull as me. Then you could use some spell no one has ever heard of and catch them off guard." He laughed aloud and several students looked over at him warily as they made their way to the great hall for dinner.

"They are scared of me, aren't they?" Harry said softly.

"Harry," Hermione looked over at him walking with his head down slightly. "You..." she realized that she was about to give him a lecture about feeling good about himself. Instead she just reached for his hand and didn't let go until they reached their transfiguration classroom.

In the classroom Harry was having difficulty concentrating before Hermione laid a calming hand on his shoulder. After that the class went better than either expected while they both just kept on their work. It took until lunch for the hammer to fall.

Professor McGonagall came over to where Harry was sitting close to Hermione, both eating quietly. Her stride made it clear that she was livid.

"Mr. Potter, your presence is required at an academic hearing in ten minutes."

"Professor, what is this about?"

"It is about your performance in classes this year, Mr. Potter."

"Is there a problem?" Harry had done better in classes this year than in any other year.

"You have been accused of cheating, Mr. Potter. You are to come to the transfiguration classroom, immediately."

"Very well, I should have guessed that anything I did to improve my situation would be attacked."

"Mr. Potter, this is no such thing. These are serious accusations."

"Are you saying that you believe them, professor?" Harry had a cold feeling in his chest.

"I do not know what to think, Mr. Potter. Don't try to manipulate me to your opinions."

"Yes, professor," Harry followed docilely.

They entered the room and Harry saw a large number of adults sitting at a long table that was raised slightly from the floor. There was a chair set in front of it. It looked for all the world like a trial to him. Checking off the names he knew, Snape, Vector, Dumbledore, Malfoy, and finally McGonagall, he wondered who the others were. He made eye contact with Professor Vector and she immediately turned away, unable to meet his eyes. That alone told him this was a setup. Harry quietly pulled a quill from his book bag he had been unable to leave behind and muttered 'gemini extactum.' There was no glow, but the tip quivered.

"Greengrass, Susan Bones, Flitwick, Lovegood, Delacour." He said under his breath to the quill. In the great hall Hermione was just about to put her things away when the notebook Harry gave her last week flipped itself out and the matching quill wrote, 'Greengrass, Susan Bones, Flitwick, Lovegood, Delacour." She immediately grabbed the notebook and ran to the teacher's table.

"Professor Flitwick. I have an urgent message." Surprised that one of the Lion came to him he smiled and looked at the notebook she had opened. It wrote by itself.

"You are Harry Potter." He was a portly middle aged man and spoke with a sneer Harry had come to associate with a certain political party who thought they were all better than everyone else.

"Yes."

"You are here because you have been cheating in multiple classes. Hogwarts does not appreciate such a high profile student being a cheater, Mr. Potter. We are hereby recommending either your expulsion or remanding you to academic probation and we will require you to take third year classes and schedules."

Soon Professor Flitwick summoned the people in the first list of students and they adjourned to a nearby classroom. He quickly realized that each person mentioned had been present in class with Harry during one of his major tests this year.

"He is being convicted before being heard."

"Harry looked awfully calm when he left," Hermione said quietly. Everyone present listened, however, because if there was an expert on Harry in the room it was her.

"May I ask if this is a secret meeting, sir? Headmaster?"

"This is not secret. The only person here who is hiding is you, Mr. Potter."

"Headmaster, do you wish to keep this meeting secret?"

"No, Harry."

"Very well, I also have no desire to keep this a secret. Do I have any rights here?"

"Of course, this is merely a hearing."

"Who, then, is on this panel? May I have the pleasure of your names?"

"I am Cyrus Greengrass, this is Mafalda Hopkirk, Griselda Marchbanks of the Examinations Authority, Lucius Malfoy Hogwarts board of governors, Professor's Snape, McGonagall, Vector, and of course your headmaster. Is that adequate?"

"Thank you, Mr. Greengrass. Am I allowed any sort of defense at all?"

"Now see here," the middle aged lady said. She had long stringy hair and was exceedingly thin. "Mr. Potter, you aren't special. You can't go flaunting the statute of secrecy or cheating in school and believe you will get away without punishment. Both you and your accomplice will be expelled."

A sudden rippled of magic came from Harry and echoed through the room, evidently without his noticing. In a tightly controlled voice he said, "by all means, present your evidence. If you do no present any evidence, I will have to take a more direct approach."

"We don't answer to you, Mr. Potter. You will accept our judgments, or the consequences will be most severe," the headmaster said suddenly.

"Ah. Now I understand. Thank you for clarifying your position, headmaster, it make this much easier. Since this is not a secret meeting, I would like to have your verdict in writing, please, so there is no question about whether I have not understood your position. You do have a written copy of the accusations, don't you?"

"Yes, it is right here," Mr. Greengrass held up a parchment, then duplicated it so Harry could have a copy. Harry took the two steps necessary to get the document.

"I'll take the original, thank you," Harry said as he grabbed the parchment quickly. "Since you have already pronounced my doom, I ask what else you need me here for?"

"Now see here, Mister Potter, that isn't the right kind of attitude. We hold your future in our hands. You should be more respectful," Mr. Greengrass said harshly.

"Mr. Greengrass, I am not sure what you would want from me as far as respect is concerned. I believe I have been respectful, but that is very subjective. I respect your position but I would be much more inclined toward agreeing with your statements if this meeting was not a complete setup where my version of any wrong doing hasn't even been heard, let alone considered. You are all complicit in this and I will very carefully evaluate my actions before I do something I will regret. I have only had a few minutes to prepare my defense and even then no one had the faintest interest in hearing it."

"Now see here, Mr. Potter," Professor McGonagall was angry. "I specifically told you yesterday about this meeting."

"Then why do I have no memory of it?" Harry said thoughtfully. "Ms. Marchbanks, would you be so kind as to cast a detection spell to see if there is a magical reason why my memory has failed me in this matter?" Harry was practically pleading.

"Of course," she responded. It was the logical answer to figuring out what was going it. None of this added up very well to her, but Professor McGonagall has implored her to come, so she did.

"I must protest," the headmaster was on his feet. That move would be disastrous. "No one but a licensed mind healer can determine whether someone has been obliviated. Harry, you should trust me on this. It is dangerous for you to go down this path." The headmaster looked at him, but Harry wasn't looking back at the moment. He decided that perhaps divide and conquer was the next best thing.

"Ms. Marchbanks, do you agree that you are not qualified to do a simple detection spell? Would you be willing to suspend your rather harsh verdict for just a moment to see if perhaps things aren't completely as they seem to, as Mr. Greengrass pointed out, a high visibility student?" Her aged face grew stern. She could think of no real reason for the headmaster's sudden reluctance for even the most basic detection spell. Instead of answering, she simply cast the spell. She was unprepared for the shield spell that was suddenly cast by the headmaster, however. Her spell bounced off and was deflected directly to the ceiling.

"You do not have permission to cast a spell on one of my students," the headmaster's was almost screaming now.

Harry quickly backed up several feet and move laterally away from the headmaster. Nodding to the aged educator he watched as she cast the spell, only to see the headmaster put up a shield directly in from of him again. This time however, Harry also put up a shield and as the spell was reflected away, it bounced off his shield and reflected back to him while he casually stepped around the headmaster's protection and was hit directly in the chest.

"My word," Mr. Greengrass almost shouted, "there were dozens of them. How were you even able to think, Potter?"

A spell from the headmaster exploded in the room stunning everyone. The headmaster then cast several spells including a memory modification spell on everyone present except Snape and McGonagall. He looked at the frown on both professors' faces. "You know I have to guide him to his ultimate destiny. If he should gain too much freedom, he would never submit to the necessary sacrifice. He will have to remove Ms. Granger's influence immediately. She is far too direct thinking. She doesn't see the bigger picture." They both nodded, the frowns increasing.

He then turned back to the rest of the adults and began his next set of spells. "Mr. Potter attacked professor Snape and I have just apprehended him," the headmaster's voice coached at the memory rebuilding phase of the spell.

After this, the room suddenly exploded in violent conversation. Harry had been bound and in the chair.

"Well, this is a new definition to being tied up," Harry said quietly, ensuring the recording quill caught his predicament. The ensuing mayhem consisted of yelling accusations and much profanity, but the eventual result was that Harry would be demoted one grade year and any criminal charges would be withheld based on his performance in class and monitoring by the headmaster. Finally Harry was released and allowed to go back to class. He muttered into the quill, "protect the information, take no action," then went to his next class.

As the group of shocked students and one teacher finished reading the final statement by Harry, they all just stared for a moment.

"Professor, can you duplicate these and I think we should have several owled to safe locations," Hermione was instantly working toward protecting Harry's best interests as well as she could.

"Fleur, can you get me a meeting with your Headmistress?" at the older girl's nod. Hermione left the room to find Harry. She was almost in tears. Harry kept his head down and continued with his original class schedule until evening.

Harry soon was back in the great hall, just as lunch had completed. He didn't say anything to the crowd of students. No one noticed as a student in the same year as Harry received a bank owl containing a statement and another letter.

Hermione and Harry went to the library after lunch and got out their astronomy texts. Hermione was surprised when a letter she had never seen before fell from the book onto the table.

"_Dear Miss Granger,_

_It has come to our bank's attention that a certain Gringotts account holder has been kept financially oppressed. There is nothing the bank can do to assist an underage witch or wizard, however there is a great deal of help that can be provided if the last member of an great house as specified in the Goblin Treaty of 1416 were to take up their position. Enclosed is a purely speculative account of the law that would be in effect by such a declaration._

_The Emancipation Proclamation of 1707_

_The Magic Preservation Act of 1802_

_The Line Interference Act of 1919_

_The Honor Act of 1882_

_There may be further implications and we will perhaps be contacting a solicitor, a Mr. Witham of Witham and Curry Associates, since no solicitor can contact someone to recruit business. Any additional information you may have concerning interesting events surrounding high profile students would be appreciated. _

_We expect to hear from you soon._

_Ragnok_"


End file.
